Information processing device, server client system, method, and computer program

Abstract

There are provided an apparatus and method that generate a MAC list that serves as an access control list efficiently without burdening a user. A MAC list registration processing request packet is automatically transmitted by using as a trigger either a power-on process of the power source of a client apparatus connected to a network or an activation process of a specific application, e.g., an execution application for services using a home network. A server performs a registration process by acquiring information such as a MAC address from the received packet in accordance with a state of empty slots in the MAC list. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily and correctly generate the MAC list, which serves as the access control list, without burdening a user.

1. An information processing apparatus for connecting to a network to which a plurality of devices are connected, and executing a process of generating an access control list, comprising:
 a reception unit configured to receive a packet from a client that serves as an access requesting apparatus through the network; 
 a storage unit configured to store a MAC list in which information for one client is set as registration data for one slot, the MAC list including a pre-determined number of empty slots that define openings in the MAC list for additional devices to be granted permission to access the information processing apparatus, the pre-determined number of the empty slots being set to change from empty to closed after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, a closed slot being a slot on the MAC list that cannot be occupied by any device; 
 a registration permission judgment unit configured to confirm whether or not there is an empty slot in the MAC list and to judge that a registration is permitted only if there is the empty slot in the MAC list, in a client registration process based on a received packet at the reception unit; 
 a registration processing unit configured to acquire data containing a client MAC address from the received packet and to execute a registration process for the MAC list, in accordance with a judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit; and 
 a control unit configured to change the pre-determined number of the empty slots from empty to closed in response to the lapse of the predetermined amount of time so that no empty slots exist in the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the registration processing unit is configured to acquire a sender MAC address contained in a header field of the packet received from the client and to adopt the acquired sender MAC address as registration information of the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a packet analysis unit configured to judge whether the packet received from the client is a registration processing request packet or a data processing request packet, wherein 
 if the packet received from-the client is the registration processing request packet, the registration permission judgment unit executes a registration permission judgment process in accordance with a presence/absence detection process for the empty slot in the MAC address, and 
 the registration processing unit executes a registration process in accordance with the judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 if the packet received from the client is the data processing packet, the registration permission judgment unit executes the registration permission judgment process in accordance with the presence/absence detection process for the empty slot in the MAC address, and 
 the registration processing unit executes the registration process for the MAC list in accordance with the judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit, by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the received data processing request packet. 
 
     
     
       5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the registration permission judgment unit is configured to execute a process of judging whether or not a data processing request sequence from the client correctly and reliably executes a sequence in conformity with a UPnP protocol, and 
 the registration processing unit is configured to execute the registration process for the MAC list in accordance with a judgment that the data processing request sequence from the client correctly and reliably executes the sequence in conformity with a UPnP protocol, by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the received data processing request packet. 
 
     
     
       6. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the registration permission judgment unit is configured to judge whether a content directory service (CDS) request process in the sequence in conformity with the UPnP protocol is executed or not in response to a data processing request from the client, and 
 the registration processing unit is configured to execute the registration process for the MAC list in accordance with a judgment that the content directory service (CDS) request process is executed, by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the received data processing request packet. 
 
     
     
       7. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the registration processing unit is configured to execute the registration process for the MAC list by acquiring the MAC address and identification information different from the MAC address stored in the packet received from the client. 
 
     
     
       8. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the identification information different from the MAC address is identification information of global unique ID information or key information set to a client apparatus. 
 
     
     
       9. A server client system for connecting to a network to which a plurality of devices are connected and receiving an access request, comprising:
 a client configured to, detect an activation of a communication process in the network based on a power-on process or an activation of a specific application, and to generate and transmit an access control list registration processing request packet storing a client MAC address in header information by using the detected information as a trigger; and 
 a server, including, 
 a storage unit configured to store a MAC list in which information for one client is set as registration data for one slot, the MAC list including a pre-determined number of empty slots that define openings in the MAC list for additional devices to be granted permission to access the information processing apparatus, the pre-determined number of the empty slots being set to change from empty to closed after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, a closed slot being a slot on the MAC list that cannot be occupied by any device; 
 a registration permission judgment unit configured to confirm whether or not there is an empty slot in the MAC list and to judge that a registration is permitted only if there is the empty slot in the MAC list, in a client registration process based on a packet received from the client; 
 a registration processing unit configured to acquire the client MAC address from the received packet and to execute a registration process for the MAC list, in accordance with a judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit; and 
 a control unit configured to change the pre-determined number of the empty slots from empty to closed in response to the lapse of the predetermined amount of time so that no empty slots exist in the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       10. The client server system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the server is configured to execute a process of acquiring a sender MAC address contained in a header field on a packet received from the client and adopt the acquired sender MAC address as registration information for the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       11. An information processing method of generating an access control list in a router, comprising:
 connecting, with a connecting unit in the router, to a network to which a plurality of devices are connected; 
 receiving, with a receiving unit in the router, a packet from a client that serves as an access requesting apparatus; 
 storing, at the router, a MAC list in which information for one client is set as registration data for one slot, the MAC list including a pre-determined number of empty slots that define openings in the MAC list for additional devices to be granted permission to access the information processing apparatus, the pre-determined number of the empty slots being set to change from empty to closed after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, a closed slot being a slot on the MAC list that cannot be occupied by any device; 
 judging, at the router, whether or not there is an empty slot in the MAC list and permit a registration only if there is the empty slot in the MAC list, in a client registration process based on a received packet at the receiving unit; 
 acquiring, at the router, data containing a client MAC address from the received packet and to execute a registration process for the MAC list, in accordance with a judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit; and 
 changing, at the router, the pre-determined number of the empty slots from empty to closed in response to the lapse of the predetermined amount of time so that no empty slots exist in the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       12. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 acquiring, with the acquiring unit in the router, a sender MAC address contained in a header field of the packet received from the client, and adopting the acquired sender MAC address as registration information of the MAC list. 
 
     
     
       13. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 judging, with the judging unit in the router, whether the packet received from the client is a registration processing request packet or a data processing request packet, wherein 
 if judged that the packet received from the client is the registration processing request packet, executing a registration permission judgment process in accordance with a presence/absence detection process for the empty slot in the MAC address. 
 
     
     
       14. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 if the packet received from the client is the data processing packet, executing the registration permission judgment process in accordance with the presence/absence detection process for the empty slot in the MAC address; and executing the registration process for the MAC list in accordance with the judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit, by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the received data processing request packet. 
 
     
     
       15. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 judging, with the judging unit in the router, whether or not a data processing request sequence from the client correctly and reliably executes a sequence in conformity with a UPnP protocol; and 
 executing, with an executing unit in the router, the registration process for the MAC list by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the packet received from the client in accordance with a judgment that the data processing request sequence from the client correctly and reliably executes the sequence in conformity with a UPnP protocol. 
 
     
     
       16. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 judging, with the judging unit in the router, whether a content directory service (CDS) request process in the sequence in conformity with the UPnP protocol is executed or not in response to a data processing request from the client; and 
 executing, with an executing unit in the router, the registration process for the MAC list in accordance with a judgment that the content directory service (CDS) request process is executed, by acquiring the data containing the client MAC address from the packet received from the client. 
 
     
     
       17. The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 executing, with an executing unit in the router, the registration process for the MAC list by acquiring the MAC address and identification information different from the MAC address stored in the packet received from the client. 
 
     
     
       18. The information processing method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the identification information different from the MAC address is identification information of global unique ID information or key information set to a client apparatus. 
 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed configure a router to generate an access control list method comprising:
 connecting, with a connecting unit in the router, to a network to which a plurality of devices are connected, and receiving a packet from a client that serves as an access requesting apparatus; 
 storing, at the router, a MAC list in which information for one client is set as registration data for one slot, the MAC list including a pre-determined number of empty slots that define openings in the MAC list for additional devices to be granted permission to access the information processing apparatus, the pre-determined number of the empty slots being set to change from empty to closed after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, a closed slot being a slot on the MAC list that cannot be occupied by any device; 
 judging, at the router, whether or not there is an empty slot in the MAC list and permit a registration only if there is the empty slot in the MAC list, in a client registration process based on a received packet at the receiving unit; 
 acquiring, at the router, data containing a client MAC address from the received packet and to execute a registration process for the MAC list, in accordance with a judgment of the registration permission by the registration permission judgment unit; and 
 changing, at the router, the predetermined number of the empty slots from empty to closed in response to the lapse of the predetermined amount of time so that no empty slots exist in the MAC list.